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Month January 2016

Becoming the person that God has created you to be, and doing the things that God has created you to do will be the greatest achievement of your life as well as the greatest task.

Many people spend the most productive years of their lives overly concerned with comparing themselves to others. Trying to “keep up with the jones”. Living in the shadow of others rather than standing out in the world.

Being yourself can be extremely difficult when you are carrying around the reproach of words or abuse from your past. But be certain that if God did it for Joshua, He can do it for you too.

Joshua 5:9 And the Lord said to Joshua, This day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you…

God has made a way for you to come into everything He has for you.

He has not called us to be clones, rather He has made us members “individual” in a body! His body! The body of Christ!

Romans 5:4-6 For as in one physical body we have many parts (organs, members) and all of these parts do not have the same function or use, So we, numerous as we are, are one body in Christ and individually we are parts one of another [mutually dependent on one another]. Having gifts (faculties, talents, qualities) that differ according to the grace given us, let us use them…

1 Corinthians 12:17 If the whole body were an eye, where [would be the sense of] hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where [would be the sense of] smell?

To dismiss God’s creative work in our lives and seek to mimic others can be a dangerous ridgewalk.

God has fashioned you by His own design and for His own purpose to accomplish the target that He has designed you to reach.

No one can do it for you just as you cannot accomplish another’s purposes in life.

The greatest satisfaction comes when we find ourselves positioned in the places of life that we were created and destined for.

Ephesians 2:10 For we are God’s [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live].

Joshua 1:8 This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe and do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall deal wisely and have good success.

2 Chronicles 26:5 He set himself to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the things of God; and as long as he sought (inquired of, yearned for) the Lord, God made him prosper.

Let’s look at Daniel

There is no record that Daniel was ever married, in fact, it seems more likely that he was one of the Eunuchs. Celibate and set apart in ministry as was Paul of the New Testament.

I’m not saying that every single person is called to singleness, I’m merely using these Bible personalities to establish the point that, your singleness does not exempt or devalue you. You have purpose, you also have adversities.

Being single and set apart in ministry did not exempt Daniel from the difficulties in life. Rather, at times it seemed to accelerate troubles.

Daniel faced real life problems:

–He faced tragedy and heartache that could have destroyed his faith and made him bitter

–He was forced to move to another city, he had to go to a new school, he had difficulties in his schooling, he had to learn a new language

–His religious heritage was attacked

–He was forced to be a single adult all of his life

–He had unreasonable bosses

–He faced intense politics around him and was faced with manipulative colleagues.

–He was thrown into the legal system for the purpose of destroying him

Daniel didn’t let his trouble define him, but instead he discovered God’s power, presence and purpose in his life

Set boundaries for your life even when “everyone else is doing it”

Daniel 1:8 But Daniel determined in his heart that he would not defile himself by [eating his portion of] the king’s rich and dainty food or by [drinking] the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might [be allowed] not to defile himself.

2. Respect and cooperate with the authorities in your life

Daniel 2:14-16 Then Daniel returned an answer which was full of prudence and wisdom to Arioch the captain or executioner of the king’s guard, who had gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon. He said to Arioch, the king’s captain, Why is the decree so urgent and hasty from the king? Then Arioch explained the matter to Daniel. And Daniel went in and desired of the king that he would set a date and give him time, and he would show the king the interpretation.

3. Have at least 2 or 3 friends that can pray for you or stand with you

Daniel 2:17-19 Then Daniel went to his house and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, So that they would desire and request mercy of the God of heaven concerning this secret, that Daniel and his companions should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night, and Daniel blessed the God of heaven.

Daniel 3:16-18 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, it is not necessary for us to answer you on this point. If our God Whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image which you have set up!

4. Develop excellence in your work

Daniel 1:20 And in all matters of wisdom and understanding concerning which the king asked them, he found them ten times better than all the [learned] magicians and enchanters who were in his whole realm.

Daniel 6:1-4 It pleased [King] Darius [successor to Belshazzar] to set over the kingdom 120 satraps who should be [in charge] throughout all the kingdom, And over them three presidents—of whom Daniel was one—that these satraps might give account to them and that the king should have no loss or damage. Then this Daniel was distinguished above the presidents and the satraps because an excellent spirit was in him, and the king thought to set him over the whole realm. Then the presidents and satraps sought to find occasion [to bring accusation] against Daniel concerning the kingdom, but they could find no occasion or fault, for he was faithful, nor was there any error or fault found in him.

5. Spend “daily” time with God and with His Word, Trusting Him with your life

Daniel 6:9-11 So King Darius signed the writing and the decree. Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house, and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he got down upon his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously. Then these men came thronging [by agreement] and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.

Joshua 1:8This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe and do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall deal wisely and have good success.